Always There
by CrossingWands
Summary: Harmony one-shot following Ginny’s death. Strictly a friendship only story however, I may turn this into something longer at some point.


**A/N: Hey guys and girls this is the first piece of fanfiction that I've written in years. I'm pretty certain that I've not written anything since before I had my daughter a few years ago. Anyway I'm hoping to come back into this properly so figured that this was a good little one-shot to start off with. No flames please.**

"Harry, are you in there?" Hermione's voice called out, her hand shaking slightly as she gripped her wand. She looked at the mess and destruction around her, hoping against hope that her best friend was okay. Okay, being a relative term of course. Harry hadn't been the same since Ginny's death some ten months previously, and whilst that was to be expected Hermione was starting to become seriously concerned. Harry had been making rash decisions at work; not only endangering himself but also the other Aurors under his command, and now he'd stopped coming into the Ministry altogether. Hermione had figured she best call in on him on her way home from work and now she was certainly glad that she had. Surveying the mess her heart went out to Harry. He clearly wasn't looking after himself, and with the children away at Hogwarts, it certainly appeared like nobody had bothered to check in on Harry for a while. A pang of guilt struck Hermione as she realised she, too, had been somewhat remiss on looking after her friend but after that night six months ago ...

Shaking her head to bring herself back to the present, Hermione wrinkled her small nose in disgust as she forced herself to wade further into the mess that had become Harry's home. There were piles of filthy crockery teetering from every available surface, not to mention multitudes of empty Firewhiskey bottles and overflowing ashtrays.

'Oh Harry ...' was all Hermione could think.

Steeling herself, Hermione set to work, her lips pursed as she waved her wand around the room in a clockwise motion. Plates and cutlery flew over into the sink and started washing themselves, whilst Hermione took to clearing up the rubbish herself. She found it somewhat soothing, tidying by hand and was soon so engrossed in her task that she failed to hear the small popping noise that announced the arrival of somebody else. It was only when they cleared their throat that Hermione looked up from her task.

"Harry!" Hermione rushed to embrace her friend, but found herself stopping just short as a wall of foul odours hit her. It smelt like Harry hadn't bathed in weeks or even washed his clothes. Forcing herself not to gag on the mixture of smells enveloping her old friend; stale tobacco, Firewhiskey and something she couldn't quite identify, Hermione turned her critical gaze on her friend. There was no kind way to put it. Harry looked like death warmed up. His face was gaunt with sunken cheekbones and eye sockets; his hair was graying and his eyes red-rimmed from a lack of sleep. Not only had his face changed but Harry's clothes were hanging off him. He seemed like he had aged decades in the last few months and Hermione was so shocked by this change in him that she couldn't help uttering a small gasp of surprise.

Harry looked at Hermione like he was struggling to keep her in focus, his face reddening as he recognised her at which point he seemed to swell with anger. But his voice when he spoke was much more resigned.

"What are you doing here Hermione?" he asked dully, as he removed his glasses and wiped them on his robes.

"I came to see how you were. I haven't seen you in a while. Nobody has –", Hermione started to reply in a small voice. This was the wrong thing to say however as Harry exploded in a drunken rage.

"Haven't seen me? Oh you, haven't seen me have you, Hermione? And I wonder why that is? It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the last time I saw you, could it? Oh no it couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that you could have saved Ginny but you didn't. Instead you chose to save your own neck, not your sister-in-law. I LOVED HER HERMIONE! SHE WAS ALL I HAD LEFT IN THE WORLD AND YOU TOOK HER FROM ME." He continued in a much smaller voice, ignoring the stricken look on Hermione's face. "She was all I had ..."

Hermione forced herself to take a deep breath before turning a level gaze on Harry, her hands white and shaking. "It wasn't like that Harry. I didn't have a choice. Ginny's injuries were too severe, and even the medical training I had at St Mungo's wouldn't have helped. It would only have prolonged her suffering. I'm sorry to say it Harry, I really am, but don't you think I would have saved Ginny if only I knew how? I wouldn't have left one of my best friends, especially not Ginny, but I didn't have a choice Harry. Those Death Eaters would have happily killed all of us there, you know this! If you didn't want your wife getting hurt then maybe you shouldn't have used her as bait!" Hermione stopped, horrified both by the fact she had shouted at Harry and at the words she had said. Seeing him visibly recoil and wince at her words she spoke again. "I'm sorry Harry I didn't mean that. I just mean that we're all suffering and everybody really misses you. Molly is extremely worried about you and Ron's beating himself up thinking somehow it was all his fault. Yes Ginny is gone, but she wasn't just yours Harry. She was Molly and Arthur's daughter. She was James, Albus and Lily's mother. Ron's sister. And my friend."

Hermione reached over and squeezed Harry's shoulder gently. "And no matter what happens Harry, all of us are always there for you."

Thinking she had probably said more than enough for today Hermione picked up her bag and slipped it onto her shoulder. As she turned on heel she flashed one more small smile in Harry's direction and Disapparated.

 **A/N: So what did you guys think? Constructive criticism is always welcome but flames aren't.**


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